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QP306  .A1 5  On  a  new  method  of  r 


RECAP 


1 
I 

' 

'■.'■'' 

A   NEW 

METHOD 

OF  RECOKDINO 

I 

THE 

MOTIONS  OF 

HARRISON 

THE  SOFT 

By 
ALLEN,  M.I). 

PALATE. 

intljeCttpofiilftnl'ork 

^cfjool  of  Bcntal  anb  0v&{  burger? 


LIBRARY  OF 

Dr.  carl  F.  W.  BODECKER 

1846-1912 

The  gift  of 

Dr.  Henry  and  Dr.  Charles  Bodecker 

1929 


/^x%>^- 


^ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Open  Knowledge  Commons  (for  the  Medical  Heritage  Library  project) 


http://www.archive.org/details/onnewmethodofrecOOalle 


ON 


A  NEW  METHOD 


OF  RECORDING 


THE  MOTIONS  OF  THE  SOFT  PALATE. 


BY 

HAKHISON  ALLEN,  M.D., 

PROFESSOR   OF  PHYSIOLOGY  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


EXTKACTED  FROM  THE 

TRANSACTIONS  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  PHYSICIANS  OF  PHILADELPHIA, 

THIRD  SERIES,  VOLUME  VII. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

P.    BLAKISTON,    SON    &    CO, 

No.  1012  Walnut  Street. 

1884. 


V\-C  C 


COLLINS  PRINTING  HOUSK, 

705  Jayne  Street. 


The  Palate- My ogi'aph  in  position.  The  left  hand  of  the  operator  determines 
the  times  at  which  the  cylinder  of  the  kymographion  will  revolve.  The 
right  hand  is  so  placed  that  the  clock-work  of  the  kymographion  can  be 
wound  up  without  interfering  with  an  observation.  The  chair  is  brought 
well  up  to  the  table  in  order  that  the  elbows  may  rest  easily  upon  it. 


ON 


A  NEW  METHOD 


OF  RECORDING 


THE  MOTIONS  OF  THE  SOFT  PALATE. 


In  this  paper  I  will  describe  a  new  method  of 
recording  the  motions  of  the  soft  palate. 

When  a  straight  rod  is  passed  through  the  nose 
from  before  backward  in  the  living  subject  as  far  as 
is  possible,  it  will  be  found  to  impinge  against  the 
roof  of  the  naso-pharynx.  In  this  position  the  rod  is 
not  influenced  by  any  motions  of  the  soft  palate ; 
but  if  the  end  of  the  rod  which  remains  without 
the  nostril  be  raised  so  that  the  rod  be  brought  in 
contact  with  the  anterior  border  of  the  nostril,  the 
pharyngeal  end  of  the  rod  will  lie  in  a  position  which 
will  cause  a  decided  motion  to  be  transmitted  to  it 
when  the  soft  palate  is  raised.  I  have  for  a  long 
time  been  in  the  habit  of  relying  upon  this  test  to 
determine  when  an  instrument  thrust  through  the 
nose  had  reached  the  region  of  the  naso-phaiynx. 

Having  observed  that  the  sensations  upon  the 
fingers  when  the  rod  was  thus  held  in  position  varied 
according  to  the  character  of  the  sound  of  the  voice, 
I  instituted  a  series  of  careful  comparisons,  which  led 
me  to  infer  that  the  elevation  of  the  soft  palate  was 


greater  in  the  sounds  of  a  and  e  than  in  the  sounds 
of  i,  0,  and  u,  or  in  any  of  the  short  vowel  sounds. 
Substituting  for  the  support  of  the  fingers  a  flexible 
copper  wire,  one  end  of  which  was  attached  to  the 
head-band,  which  is  in  common  use  for  the  support 
of  the  laryngeal  mirror,  and  the  wire  itself-  bent 
round  the  rod  so  as  to  maintain  the  apposition  of  the 
rod  against  the  anterior  border  of  the  nostril,  I  found 
that  the  motions  of  the  palate  caused  a  perceptible 
deviation  of  the  free  end  of  the  rod.  If,  while  the 
wire  was  thus  supporting  the  rod,  a  rhlnoscopic  ex- 
amination was  made,  the  pharyngeal  end  of  the  rod 
was  found  projecting  from  the  posterior  nares  into 
the  naso-pharynx,  at  a  point  about  midway  between 
the  roof  and  the  upper  surface  of  the  relaxed  soft 
palate.  The  rod  being  carefully  adjusted  so  as  to 
secure  the  best  eifects  when  the  palate  was  raised, 
and  the  subject  seated  in  front  of  the  Ludwig  kymo- 
graphion  (see  Frontispiece),  which  had  been  pre- 
viously prepared  with  carbon  covered  paper,  it  was 
ascertained  that  when  the  free  end  of  the  lever 
touched  the  cylinder,  at  a  time  when  the  latter  was 
in  motion  from  right  to  left  and  the  soft  palate  was 
raised,  that  a  distinct  tracing  appeared  upon  the 
cylinder  and  that  the  differences  between  the  long 
and  short  sounds  of  the  vowels  were  found  to  corre- 
late with  the  curves  made  by  the  rod  upon  the  kymo- 
graphion. 

Fig.  1  represents  this  rod  as  completed,  a  is  that 
part  of  the  rod,  four  inches  in  length,  which  is  inserted 
within  the  nose.  The  end  to  the  left  being  furnished 
with  a  bulb,  and  that  to  the  right  with  a  screw  thread 
for  attachment  to  &,  which  is  a  delicate  piece  of  vul- 


canite,  marked  by  a  number  of  annular  depressions. 
The  portion  of  the  rod  marked  c  extends  from  h, 
and  represents  that  part  of  the  instrument  which  is 
brought  in  contact  with  the  kymographion-cylinder : 
it  measures  four  inches  iu  length,  and  terminates  in 
a  thin,  flat,  flexible  end  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 


tracuig. 


Fig.  1. 

b 


Fig.  1. — The  apparatus.  The  two  arms  of  the  rod  should  be  of  the 
same  length,  a,  the  arm,  or  portion  of  the  lever  which  is  inserted 
within  the  nose ;  b,  the  vulcanite  annular  support  for  the  wire- 
loop;  c,  the  arm  or  portion  of  the  lever  projecting  from  the 
nostril  (f). 

When  the  instrument  is  in  position  (see  Frontis- 
piece) and  the  palate  is  raised  (as  in  the  voluntary 
motion  which  constitutes  the  first  act  of  deglutition) 
a  tracing  is  made  (Fig.  2),  which,  when  analyzed,  is 

Fig.  2. 


Fig.  2. — Voluntary  elevation  of  the  soft  palate  illustrated  in  the  first 
act  of  deglutition. 

found  to  be  composed  of  a  number  of  acute  depressions 
interrupting  a  horizontal  line,  and  which  yields  for 
examination  three  distinct  parts :  first,  a  long,  con- 
cave, slightly  undulating  line — which  represents  the 
extent  of  downward  deviation  of  the  rod  from  its 
horizontal    position ;    second,   a   short   vertical   line, 


which  represents  the  descent  of  the  palate,  and 
begins  at  the  point  at  which  the  curved  line  ends 
and  terminates  at  the  horizontal  line;  and,  third,  the 
horizontal  line  itself,  which  represents  the  record 
made  by  the  end  of  the  rod  when  at  rest  upon  the 
surface  of  the  moving  cylinder.  It  is  evident  that 
the  number  of  the  notch-like  depressions  will  answer 
to  as  many  acts  of  elevation  as  are  recorded  at  a 
single  trial.  The  differences  in  the  depressions  will 
be  the  differences  in  the  acts  of  elevation  themselves. 
The  degree  of  elevation  and  the  abruptness  of  the 
fall  are  constant,  but  the  length  of  the  curve  will 
depend  upon  the  time  taken  by  the  palate  to  reach 
its  highest  elevation  and  the  time  it  is  sustained  in 
that  position  before  it  falls  to  the  position  of  rest.^ 

The  tracing  of  the  motion  of  the  palate  in  the  first 
act  of  deglutition  is  found  to  vary  slightly  from  the 
above  when  the  act  of  swallowing  is  completed 
(Fig.  3).     This  difference  is  expressed  in  the  tracing 

Fig.  3. 


11 

ill! 

i 

_^ 

" """■" ^ !" "" ' '"" ' ' " ■""■? ■■ "■""■"! "■' 

liiiliB 

iiiiil 

■^V,-' 

-'''" 

~~^Vy'i 

J:xG.  3. 

— The  ti-acuii 

•  of  the 

act  of 

deglutition. 

in  a  shorter  curve  of  elevation,  and  a  very  gradual 
instead  of  a  precipitous  descent. 

The  tracings  of  the  acts  of  "  exhaling,"^  of  cough- 
ing, of  hawking,  and  of  sniffing  will  be  found  to  be 

'   All  tracings  are  to  read  from  left  to  right. 

2  By  "exhaling"  is  meant  the  sound  without  voice  which  is  made  by  sud- 
denly depressine  the  palate  from  a  moderately  elevated  position  (the  mouth 
being  closed),  and  by  driving  the  air  out  through  the  nostrils.  It  is  a  sound 
habitual  with  some  persons  who  suffer  from  catarrh. 


suflS-ciently  distinct  by  examination  of  the  curves  of 
Fig.  4. 


Fig.  4. 


Exhaling — 


Coughing^ 


Hawking_ 
(screatusj" 


Sniffing-^ 


The  outlines,  as  a  rule,  are  assumed  to  be  due  to 
the  upper  surface  of  the  soft  palate  striking  the  end 
of  the  rod  as  it  lies  within  the  naso-pharynx.  But  it 
is  well  to  remember  that  the  rod  may  be  pushed  from 
right  to  left  or  from  left  to  right  in  a  liorizontal  direc- 
tion by  the  contraction  of  the  two  levator  palati  mus- 
cles '^  for  the  elevation  of  the  palate  is  dependent  upon 

•  The  motions  of  the  levator  muscles  can  easily  be  seen  by  direct  inspec- 
tion from  in  front,  as  has  been  shown  by  Zaufal  (see  p.  172)  and  by  Hilton 
(ibid.)  from  above. 


10 

the  force  exerted  by  these  muscles,  and  if  the  rod  be 
in  the  way  of  one  of  them  it  will  be  pushed  to  the 
median  side  and  to  a  point  nearer  the  centre  of  the 
naso-pharynx  than  it  occupied  prior  to  the  time  of 
contraction.  If  the  rod  be  thrust  through  the  right 
nostril  it  will  be  moved  from  left  to  right;  if  it  be 
thrust  through  the  left  nostril  it  will  be  moved  from 
right  to  left.  These  curves  are  best  recorded  by 
placing  the  kymographion-cylinder  in  a  horizontal 
]DOsition. 

The  following  cut  exhibits  a  few  of  the  lateral 
curves,  so  that  an  opportunity  is  afforded  of  contrast- 
inof  them  with  the  vertical  curves. 


Fig.  5. 

f\f\  [fill Iff ifiPif  fi'i  i|f ""fii  f will!l|l||'iilTi|f!li|ll|i|li|i|i|liillll|if|1P|f i'»'^^ l'ii|"'H ' '  f|  ri"Hfiii''iif F^ifyifH 


oi,  oi,  el 
u,  0,  i 
a,  i,  a 

et 


V . 


lillaillESiiSil 


Fig.  5. — A  number  of  palate  movements  recorder!  by  the  lever  upon  the 
horizontal  cylinder  of  the  kymographion. 


The  correlation  between  the  two  kinds  of  curves  is 
sufficiently  exact  to  permit  either  the  one  or  the  other 
to  be  used,  and  since  it  is  convenient  to  retain  the 


11 

cylinder  in  a  vertical  position  the  tracings  will  be 
assumed  in  this  paper  to  be  made  with  the  upright 
cylinder  unless  it  is  otherwise  stated. 

In  making  the  tracings  in  either  of  the  positions 
the  head  must  be  carefully  supported.  A  dentist's 
head-rest,  such  as  is  sold  by  the  S.  S.  White  Dental 
Manufacturing  Company,  answers  an  admirable  pur- 
pose.^ Should  it  at  any  time  be  found  necessary  to 
estimate  the  amount  of  variation  in  any  curve  due  to 
the  motion  of  the  head,  a  piece  of  wire  attached  to  the 
head-band  maybe  made  to  touch  the  cylinder  a  short 
distance  above  the  position  of  the  index  on  the  lever.^ 

Inasmuch  as  it  is  desirable  to  have  a  name  by 
which  the  instrument  can  be  designated  I  would 
propose  for  it  the  term  palate-myograph.  In  an  exact 
sense  it  furnishes  the  basis  upon  which  the  motions 
of  the  levator  palati  muscles  (and  through  these 
structures  the  motions  of  the  soft  palate  as  well)  can 
be  recorded,  and  is  hence  a  myographion  of  a  particu- 
lar pair  of  muscles  whose  general  function  is  already 
known. 

Literature  of  the  metliods  wliicli  have  heen  proposed 
to  record  the  motions  of  the  soft  palate  and  pharyngeal 
mechanisms  generally. — The  motions  of  the  soft  palate 
have  been  studied  in  three  ways:  1st,  by  direct  ob- 
servation;  2d,  by  the   modification   exerted   by   the 

'  I  desire  to  return  acknowledgments  to  Dr.  Jas.  "W.  White,  President  of 
the  company,  for  assistance  kindly  rendered  in  carrying  out  the  plan  of  these 
researches. 

2  I  am  indebted  to  my  friend,  Dr.  N.  A.  Randolph,  for  this  suggestion.  In 
a  few  tracings,  motions  of  the  head  are  evident,  see  the  tracing  of  sniffing 
and  the  first  series  of  Fig.  5,  and  in  Figs.  23,  37,  and  43. 


12 

palate  on  the  air  of  expiration;  3d,  by  the  degrees 
of  force  exerted  by  the  muscles  themselves. 

Methods  of  Inspection. — These  include  the  observa- 
tion of  J.  Hilton,^  who,  in  a  case  of  acquired  defect  of 
the  face,  due  to  the  former  presence  of  an  osseous 
tumor,  describes  the  "  position  of  the  palate  during 
the  formation  of  letters  and  words"  as  follows: — 

"Complete  utterance  occurs  only  during  expira- 
tion; and  whilst  repeating  the  alphabet  the  soft 
palate  rises  at  the  beginning  and  again  descends  at 
the  termination  of  each  letter  or  expiration;  the  sides 
of  the  pharynx  also  slightly  approximate.  The  louder 
the  voice,  the  more  apparent  are  these  actions  in  the 
palate  and  the  pharynx.  The  extent  of  this  adapta- 
tion in  the  ordinary  voice  resembles  that  which  occurs 
in  the  mildest  oral  expiration;  with  this  difference 
only  that  the  palate  is  rather  more  steady  in  the  pro- 
cess of  articulation  or  formation  of  the  letter  than  in 
simple  expiration. 

"The  articulation  of  each  of  the  vowels  and  the 
letter  Y  produces  about  the  same  extent  of  elevation 
of  the  palate.  ...  In  the  formation  of  the  letters 
H,  M,  and  K,  the  soft  palate  is  employed  actively, 
and  especially  so  in  the  letter  M." — Schuh^  has  re- 
corded a  somewhat  similar  case. — The  motions  of  the 
salpingo-palatal  fold,  according  to  E.  Zaufal,^  are  most 
pronounced  in  the  letter  i  and  in  e  (German),  but  less 
well  marked  in  o  and  u,  and  weakest  in  m  and  n. — 
In  progressive  facial  hemiatrophy  Eulenberg  found 

'  Guy's  Hosp.  Rep.,  i,  1836,  504. 

*  Wiener  Med.  Wochenschr.,    1858;    see  Med.    Times   and   Gaz.    xix. 
1859,  357. 
3  Archiv  fur  Ohrenheilkunde,  1875,  ix.  137. 


13 

the  soft  palate  involved  as  well  as  the  region  termed 
by  Grusset^  (in  quoting  Eiilenberg)  "  peri-laryngeal." 
The  letter  r  together  with  other  letters  was  pro- 
nounced with  difficulty. — Duchenne^  has  studied  the 
effects  of  electrical  stimulation  of  the  muscles  of  the 
palate. — Lennox  Browne  and  Emil  Behnke'  have 
examined  the  shapes  of  the  soft  palate  from  the  oral 
aspects,  and  have  recorded  their  appearances  by 
photography. 

Of  the  meiJiods  of  recording  by  the  modification  in 
the  outgoing  of  air  upon  a  flame  or  tambour,  refer- 
ence may  be  made  to  the  researches  of  Konig  and 
Hensen.^ 

A.  Gentilli'^  has  measured  the  force  of  the  expired 
air  which  passed  out  of  the  nose  in  the  formation  of 
the  sounds  m  and  n  by  placing  in  front  of  the  nostril 
a  disk  or  fan  upon  which  the  expired  air  impinged. 
Accessories  were  attached  thereto  by  means  of 
which  tracings  were  made  upon  a  recording  surface. 

Among  the  methods  dependent  upon  the  degrees 
of  force  exerted  by  the  palatal  muscles  may  be  men- 
tioned that  of  Arloing  and  Carlet,*^  who  placed  in  the 
mouth   of  a   horse   compressible   flasks    filled    with 


'  Traits  Pratique  des  Maladies  du  Systfeme  Nerveux,  1881,  627. 

2  Selections  from  Clinical  Studies,  Trans,  in  New  Sydenham  Soc,  Series, 
1883,  353. 

3  Voice,  Song,  and  Speech,  London,  1883,  fig.  215. 

*  For  general  account  and  literature,  see  P.  Grutzner  in  Hermann's 
Handbuch  der  Physiologic,  I.,  Bd.  II.,  Theil,  1879,  185-189.  See,  also, 
C.  Blake,  Archives  of  Otolog}',  vii. 

5  The  Glossograph;  see  abstract  by  C.  Blake  in  Amer.  Journ.  Otology, 
iv.  1882,  193. 

6  Comptes  Kendus,  1874  (Nov.  2). 


14 

water,  which  were  in  communication  with  a  flexible 
tube,  which  in  turn  was  united  with  a  manometer. 

It  will  be  seen  that  no  attempt  appears  to  have 
been  made  to  record  the  degrees  of  elevation  of  the 
palate.  Marey^  declares  that  any  method  of  explo- 
ration of  the  palate  by  direct  means  b}-^  which  the 
movements  can  be  computed  would  be  difficult,  but 
makes  no  suggestion  how  the  difficulties  can  be  over- 
come. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  briefly  analyze  the  tracings 
made  by  the  palate-myograph  in  a  variety  of  palate- 
motions  in  my  own  throat,  in  order  to  indicate  the 
uses  to  which  the  method  here  proposed  may  be  put. 
These  descriptions  will  be  placed  under  the  following 
heads : — 

Vowel-Curves. 

Consonant-Curves. 

Syllables  ending  in  Yowels  and  those  ending 

in  Consonants  conti'asted. 
Word-Curves. 
Test-Phrases. 
Variation. 
The  presumed  Order  of  Development  of  the 

Palate-Curves. 
Inspiritse. 
ISTegations. 
Tlie  Yowel  Curves. — The  lever  is  found  to  descend 
to  the  most  pronounced  degree  in  pronunciation  of  the 

'  "Aiitant  il  serait  difficile  d'explorer  d'une  manifere  directe  les  mouve- 
ments  du  voile  du  palais,  autant  il  est  facile  de  siqualer  ces  mouvements 
d'apres  I'echappement  d'air  qui  en  est  la  consequence."  La  Methode  Gra- 
phique,  etc.,  Paris,  1878,  396. 


15 

vowel  e.  'Next  in  order  to  e  may  be  ranged  a.  In 
Fig.  6  a  comparison  between  these  two  sounds  is 
shown. 

Fig.  6. 

1st  Series. 

a  e  a  e  a  e 


a  e 

2d  Series. 


3d  Series. 

e  a 


It  will  be  seen  that  while  a  slight  variation  is  de- 
tected between  the  curve  of  the  same  sound,  when 
made  a  number  of  times  in  the  same  sitting,  that  the 
general  character  of  each  curve  is  distinct.  In  the 
third  line  the  exaggerated  character  of  the  curve  is  to 
be  ascribed  to  the  rod  having  been  thrust  too  far 
back. 

So  in  Fig.  7,  where  d  (as  in  awe),  and  a  (as  in 
father)  are  contrasted. 


The  a-sound  of  r  is  difficult  to  render  since  the  pa- 
late lies  so  far  below  the  plane  of  the  rod  in  making 


16 


this  sound.     These  curves  are  found  to  be  subject  to 
considerable  variation. 


Fig.  8. 


Variants  of  the  sound  of  r. 


Among  other  sounds  of  the  vowels  may  be  men- 
tioned e  (as  in  ''''fern''''),  a  (as  in  ""ask).  This  is  illus- 
trated in  (Fig.  9). 


Fig.  9. 
e        e        e       e 


'OXr^j^vj 


i^ 


Fig.  10. 

a-:k       a^k  a         a  a  a 


In  Fig.  10  the  first  two  tracings  represent  the  entire 
word  "ask,"  and  the  remaining  tracings  the  sound 
of  a  in  the  same  word. 

In  Fig.  11  the  curves  of  the  sounds  of  a  and  e  are 
contrasted. 

Fig.  11. 


17 

In  Fig.  12  the  curves  of  u  and  o  and  o  (as  in  liot), 
and  66  (as  iwfood)  are  contrasted. 


Fin.  12. 


U    Q\ 

0  and  86  i 


The  Consonant  Curves. — The  tracings  of  the  con- 
sonants will  resemble  those  of  the  vowels  more  or  less 
exactly  according  to  the  quality  of  the  vowel  sound 
entering  into  the  consonant.     Thus  in  Fig.  13  are 


Fig.  13. 


4 

4  _^; .-       ^ 

4  --' -    _ 

b  "^--^    ■■ 

4         __  r: 


18 


seen  the  value  of  the  curve  of  &,  v,  and  z,  based  upon 
the  curve  of  e  (Fig.  6)/ 

In  Fig.  14  the  curves  of  the  consonants  j   and  Jc 
based  on  a  are  presented. 


Fkj.  14, 


In  Fig.  15  the  curves  of/*  and  I  are  seen  based 
upon  e. 

Fig.  15. 


Fig.  16. 


r 


1    _. 

\» 

In  Fig.  16  a  contrast  of  the  letter  S  in  I,  m,  and  ti^ 
is  sfiven. 


'  The  variations  in  the  curves,  and  their  limitations,  are  discussed  on 
pajjes  185,  191. 

2  The  results  here  recorded  atrree  with  those  of  Zaufal,  but  differ  from  those 
of  Hilton  see  (p.  172),  wlio found  the  motions  of  the  palate  especially  marked 


19 

In    Fig.  17  the    curve   of  e  in  s  is   figured    in    a 
single  group  of  variants. 


Fro.  17. 


1 

-A 


In  Fig.  18  the  curve  of  the  letter  Ti  in  the  conso- 
nant g  is  figured. 


Fig.  18. 


qp 


The  SyllahJes  ending  in  Vowels  and  tJiose  ending  in 
Consonants  contrasted. — Since  words  are  purely  of  con- 
ventional character  it  is  evident  that  the  division  of 
the  curves  into  the  phonetic  values  of  vowels  and  con- 
sonants, and  the  arbitrary  values  assigned  to  the  word- 
curve  is  one  of  convenience  only.  A  series  of  curves 
is  herewith  presented  (Fig.  11))  which  contrast  the 
vowel  sounds  ending  on  consonants  with  the  conso- 
nantal sounds  ending  on  vowels.  It  is  interesting  to 
note  that  the  mechanism  of  the  palate  is  distinct  in 
the  two  instances. 

The  Word-curves. — For  practical  purposes  it  is  con- 
venient to  use  the  curves  made  by  the  pronunciation 
of  entire  words  instead  of  the  separate  value  of  vowels 

in  the  pronunciation  of  the  letters  m  and  n.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
this  observer  looked  down  upon  the  palate.  The  palate  would  appear  to 
move  in  the  formation  of  the  letters,  but  the  palate  is  not  sufficiently  raised 
either  to  the  degree  sufficient  to  contract  the  levators  or  to  raise  the  velum  to 
a  point  at  which  a  horizontal  lever  thrust  into  the  naso-pharynx  is  raised. 


20 

Fig.  19. 


1  ad,   (la,   ad,   da, 

2  d,     ed,  d,     ed. 


3  t,     et,     t,     et 

4  da,  ad 


or  consonants.  The  analysis  of  these  word-curves 
show  that  there  are  four  kinds — the  single,  the  doable, 
the  multiple,  and  the  composite. 

Of  the  single  word-curves  the  following  (Fig.  20) 
may  be  taken  as  examples. 

Fie  20. 


Of  the  double  curves  the  following  (Fig.  21)  may 
be  taken  as  examples. 


Fin.  21. 


Sin,  sins  ;  tin,  tins 
Sins,  sin ;  sins,  sin 


~\r 

'J  V 

\i       \] 

"^j-^r 

~'\J     \r\.r 

~^:.  -:^'v/: 

21 


Fig.  22  represents  the  curves  belonging  to  the 
letter  w,  which,  of  course,  has  the  value  when  pro- 
nounced of  "  double  yu." 


Fig.  22. 


In  Fig.  23  a  multiple  word-curve   is    seen  in  the 
word  "kingdom."     See,  also.  Fig.  24. 


Kingdom,  kingdoms 


not 


snap 


Fig.  23. 


Fig.  24.' 

A 

once 


A 

chanire 


c 

trundle 


snarl 


quinsy         quinsy         quinsy 


kingdom. 


A  series  of  double  curves  is  represented  in  Fig. 
24  showing  the  combination  of  curves  more  or  less  re- 
sembling one  another.  In  each  instance  the  palate 
comes  to  a  state  of  rest  for  an  appreciable  interval  be- 
fore a  second  time  descending.  Three  variants  of 
"quinsy"  are  presented,  for  it  was  found  to  vary  in 
Mr.  Cohen  and  myself.  The  curves  with  the  largest 
excursus  was  evidently  influenced  by  the  levator 
palati-muscle.  The  curves  of  "kingdom"  are  re- 
peated in  Fig.  23. 


'  Tlie  words  marked  "A"  and  "  C"  indicate  the  names  of  the  recorders, 
Allen  and  Cohen. 


22 


A  series  of  separate  word-curves  from  the  foregoing 
is  represented  in  Fig.  25. 


but 


Three  variants  of  "  Wcis"  {    ^^''^ 

was 
down 


Fig.  25. 


This  group  is  intermediate  between  tliat  of  the 
single  and  the  doable  curves.  They  all  belong  to 
words  of  a  single  syllable,  yet  are  distinguished 
from  those  seen  in  Fig.  25  by  showing  but  a  slight 
disposition  on  the  part  of  the  palate  to  descend  before 
it  a  second  time  ascends. 

A  second  series  of  the  same  is  seen  in  Fig.  26. 


Fig.  2G. 

--^••-.^-^v.^-X-^-^'— 

m 

-  "^^-vT^-vi^v-j^.. 

J. 

^^=^-,-=v^..-_--=^=^^      _-^^^_-^^^.^^-  -^-  ^^^^     ..r=-=,^=-=.-^^.-.- 

.is™fj 

back 
clock 


A  third  series,  showing  the  greatest  amount  of 
secondary  curving  before  the  palate  falls  to  rest,  is 
seen  in  Fig.  27. 

Test- phrases. — Since  much  of  the  interest  which 
will  obtain  in  the  use  of  the  instrument  here  de- 
scribed is  clinical,  it  is  likely  that  the  curves  described 
at  the  time  of  the  utterance  of  a  phrase  will  have  the 
same  value  as  those  correlating  to  phonetic  values  or 


23 


Fig.  27. 


Shoulder 


Clothes 


Constable 


Constable 
(horizontal) 


Papa 


Brobdignag 


to  single  words.  A  few  phrases  are  herewith  ap- 
pended in  illustration  of  this  subject.  (Figs.  28-3o.) 
It  is  evident  the  palate  has  fewer  difficulties  to  over- 
come during  the  pronunciation  of  the  legend  of  Fig. 
30  than  that  of  any  of  the  other  legends.  Fig.  33  is 
interesting  in  showing  how  exactly  the  curves  of  the 
words  "^o"  and  "&e"  repeat  themselves  in  the  delibe- 
rately pronounced  phrase  "  to  he  or  not  to  ^e." 


Fig.  28. 


An  empty  bag  cannot  stand  upright. 


Fig.  .50. 


A  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the  bush. 


24 


Fig.  31. 


Early  to  bed,  early 
to  rise  makes  a  man 
healthy,  wealthy,  and 
wise. 


Fig.  32. 


A  rolling  stone  gathers  no  moss. 


Fig.  33. 


To  be  or  not  to  be. 


to 


be 


not       to         be 


The  question  that  has  often  been  asked  why  words 
are  pronounced  in  a  manner  different  from  that  which 
would  be  premised  from  the  spelling,  and  why  the 
street  pedlers  of  cast-off  clothing  persist  in  crying 
"old  clo''  when  "old  clothes"  is  known  by  them  to 
be  the  correct  pronunciation,  may  receive  an  answer 
when  the  curves  of  the  word  as  really  pronounced 
are  compared  to  the  curves  of  the  word  as  they  should 
be  pronounced  if  every  syllable  were  given  its  full 
value.  Such  words  as  Magdalen,  Ispahan,  Treheran, 
and   Beauchamp  may  serve  as  examples.      Fig.  34 

Fig.  34. 


W^-'^-'-'^r-^'^- 

— ~ 

/ 

— ^ 

i     '^ 

-m 

Beecham  (repeated.) 
Beauchamp. 


illustrates   the    difference    between    Beauchamp  and 
*'  Beecham." 


25 

Variation. — It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that 
the  palate  will  make  the  same  curves  for  the  same 
sounds  in  all  individuals.  A  margin  for  individual 
variation  must  be  made  if  any  conclusion  can  be 
drawn  from  the  manner  in  which  my  assistant,  Mr. 
Cohen,  will  form  certain  curves  as  contrasted  to  those 
of  other  observers,  including  myself. 

Thus  Mr.  Cohen  in  pronouncing  "  awe?"  secures 
two  curves  (see  Fig.  35),  whereas  in  my  own  throat  but 
a  single  curve  of  a  different  shape  results.^ 

Fig.  85. 


Variations  in  "  and"  in  two  individuals. 

The  character  of  the  curve  is  here  of  less  import- 
ance than  the  number,  for  in  a  separate  series  of  stu- 
dies of  "a?^(?"  in  my  own  throat  (see  Fig.  36)  I  have 

Fig.  36. 


Variations  in  "  and"  in  the  same  individual. 

secured  two  distinct  types  of  curves  from  this  word 
but  never  more  than  one  curve  for  each  word.  The 
difference  in  the  shapes  of  the  curves  may  be  attri- 
buted to  the  difference  in  the  position  of  the  rod  with 
respect  to  the  palate  during  the  different  sittings. 

'  The  first  two  of  the  first  series  of  lines  have  unfortunately  been  muti- 
lated in  Fig.  35.     The  last  two  (placed  to  the  right  of  the  cut)  are  intact. 


26 

TJie presumed  Order  of  Development  of  the  Palate- 
Curves. — The  palate-myograph  may  prove  useful,  it 
is  thought,  in  studying  the  times  at  which  the  different 
motions  of  the  palate  in  phonation  came  into  play. 
If  the  articulate  sounds  made  by  a  child  be  imitated 
when  the  palate-myogi'aph  is  in  position  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  sound  of  mamma  is  the  simplest  of  them 
all.  I  have  under  this  heading  simply  contrasted  the 
curves  of  "mdmma"  and  ^^pfdpd^^  (see  Fig.  27),  to 
show  that  it  is  probable  that  the  reason  for  the  sound 
"•  mamma"  (Fig.  37)  being  first  used  by  the  infant  is 
that  the  palate  is  moved  least  in  producing  the 
sound. 

Fig.  37. 


The  curves  of  "  mamma. 


TJie  InspirifcB.—S'mce  the  sounds  of  speech  for  the 
most  part  are  made  upon  the  out-going  breath  the 
movements  of  the  soft  palate  in  assisting  in  their  for- 
mation will  be  co-related  to  the  respiratory  act.  The 
palatal  mechanism  might  be  compared  to  a  second 
sphincter  placed  between  the  laryngeal  sphincter  and 
the  lips.  When  the  proposition  is  differently  stated 
and  the  speech  sounds  are  known  to  be  found  not  on 
the  out-going  but  on  the  in-going  air,  it  has  been 
thought  worth  while  to  notice  if  the  palate  mechanism 
is  in  any  way  modified  on  account  of  the  air  passing 
through  the  pharynx.  'No  sound  of  the  character  just 
named  is  normal  to  English  or  indeed  to  any  of  the 
European  languages.  Dr.  D.  G.  Brinton,  who  first 
culled  my  attention  to  the  subject,  informs  me  that  in 


27 

the  Bushman  dialect  as  many  as  four  of  the  inspiritse 
(as  they  are  termed)  can  be  enumerated.  The  Esqui- 
maux have  at  least  one,  the  "cluck,"  and  the  Ara- 
bians some. 

In  experimenting  with  the  inspiritse  difficulty  was 
experienced  in  the  unpleasant  drying  of  the  vocal 
cord  attending  the  act  of  articulating  upon  the  in- 
going breath.  I  have  contented  myself  to  reproduce 
the    "cluck"    sound    (Fig.    38)  both  on   inspiration 


Fig.  38. 


Inspired. 
Expired. 

Inspired. 
Expired. 


■■^. 

,r-^-r^'^- 

r-,      — :.      ,-i 

~\  V"\  \ 

-~x  vm-r^ 

■n     '"^^'.J — ^ 

_          ^ 

^     i' — ^    \~ 

-^x     r-\ '  ■  (■    "i 

V,  i    V,\ 

The  curves  of  "cluck." 

and  on  expiration  in  order  that  the  two  can  be  con- 
trasted; it  will  be  noticed  that  the  difference  between 
the  two  sets  of  curves  is  very  slight  if  any  can  be 
said  to  exist. 

Fig.  39. 


In  Fig.  39  the  curves  of  the  vowel  sounds  a,  e,  i, 
0,  u  are  represented  as  formed  in  inspiration.^ 


'  Dr.  Berens. 


28 

The  inspiritae  of  low  pitch  cause  larger  curves  to  be 
described  than  those  of  high  pitch. 

The  amount  of  elevation  of  the  soft  palate  in  enun- 
ciation is  independent  or  nearly  so  both  of  volume 
and  of  pitch.      In   Fig.  40  the  vowels  a  and  e  are 


contrasted  in  the  head  and  chest  registers.  The 
curves  show  some  influence  from  the  action  of  the 
levator  palati  muscles,  but,  with  the  exception  of 
being  a  little  too  deep,  are  normal  curves  for  these 
sounds.  It  will  be  seen  that  there  is  little  or  no  effect 
of  register  upon  the  formation  of  these  curves. 

In   two  series  the  following  falsetto  notes    (Fig. 
41)  were  formed  on  the  same  vowel  sounds.     A  more 


Fig.  41. 
e  a 


marked  difference  is  here  observed  between  the  curves. 
The  palate  appears  to  be  tremulous,  and  makes  two 
undulations  in  the  curves  of  e.     This  record  is  from 


29 

my  own  throat.  I  have  no  vocal  training,  and  it  is 
probable  that  the  palate  of  a  vocalist  may  give  dif- 
ferent results. 

Negations. — While  it  has  been  seen  that  the  palate 
moves  in  every  consonantal  and  vowel  sound,  it 
nevertheless  does  not  assist  in  the  formation  of  many 
sounds.  Thus  the  motions  of  the  palate  are  the  same 
in  the  word  "  souf''  as   in  "  souW  (Fig.   42),    and 

Fig.  42. 


"  Souf"  and  south. 


in  ''■nuffiyvf  as  in  ^' nothing^''  (Fig.  43).     The  diffi- 
culty   the     negro     acknowledges     in    pronouncing 


Fig.  43. 


"  Nuffinsr"  and  notliinfr. 


'^  souW  and  '^notJiing^^  (converting  the  words  into 
''  soiif'^  and  '' nuffing^')  lies  in  the  relations  of  the  tip 
of  the  tongue  to  the  teeth,  hard  palate,  and  lips  (in  a 
word  to  his  prognathism)  and  not  to  any  peculiarities 
of  the  soft  palate. 

In  like  manner  those  persons  who  pronounce  luhat 
as  though  spelt  "  vaP  (Fig.  44)  make  precisely  the 


Fig.  44. 


What 


'Vat. 


30 

same  palate  curves  for  the  two  sounds.  The  curves, 
indeed,  are  those  of  d  with  the  terminal  consonant  t, 
and  tlie  distinction  between  the  ivk  and  the  v  are  in 
the  lips  and  teeth. 

The  distinctions  between  that  and  "  ?a^"  (Fig.  45) 
are  of  the  same  character.     Most  children  are  slow  in 

Fig.  45. 
Lat  and  that. 


pi'ocuiing  the   "  ^A"  sound  but  acquire  the  "  Z"  sound 
easily.     The  same  remark  applies  to  the  Chinese. 

The  same  comments  ai-e  not  applicable  t    the  dis- 
tinction   between    ivell   and    ^^veV^   (Fig.  46);    for  a 


Fig.  46. 
Well  and  "veil. 


simple  curve  is  seen  to  be  recorded  for  "i(;eZZ,"  but  a 
sinuate  curve  for  "reZZ." 

In  Fig.  47  the  curve  of  the  words  one,  two,  three, 
eight,  yiine,  ten  are  recorded  with  the  object  of  show- 
ing that  the  word  "one"  makes  scarcely  any  curve, 
the  word  "nine"  none. 

Remakks. — Such  in  brief  is  an  outline  of  this  new 
method.  The  fact  that  the  soft  palate  is  raised  in 
aiticuhition  of  all  articulate  sounds,  that  it  is  raised 
in  the  acts  of  swallowing,  of  coughing,  of  hawking. 


31 


can  be  i-eadily  demonstrated.  The  length  of  time  at 
which  the  palate  remains  elevated,  and  the  duration 
of  the  time  of  ascent  and  descent,  can  also  be  easily 


Fig.  47 
1  2 


],  2,  3 
8,  9,  10 


8  9  10 

The  curves  of  "one,  two,  thi-ee,  eight,  nine,  ten." 

ascertained.  The  palate  is  seen  to  be  raised  once 
only  for  some  words  ;  twice  for  others,  and  three 
times  for  others.  The  numbers  of  these  motions  are 
invariable  within  a  narrow  range  of  individual  varia- 
tion. The  size  of  the  curves,  however,  is  not  fixed 
owing  to  the  difficulty  of  always  reaching  precisely 
the  same  spot  of  the  broad  upper  surface  of  the  soft 
palate.  Bat  the  curves,  whether  deep  or  shallow,  hold 
the  same  proportions  one  to  another,  as  is  seen  in 
the  diflPerent  series  of  Fig.  6,  and  in  the  various 
curves  of  the  letter  I  in  Fig.  16,  and  of  the  letter  s 
in  Fig  17.  By  proper  care  in  freeing  the  rod  from 
contact  with  the  salpingo-palatal  fold,  and  in  placing 
the  rod  about  the  centre  of  the  palate,  the  exaggera- 
tion of  curve  can  be  in  great  measure  prevented.  It 
is  evident  that  variation  in  the  size  of  the  bulb  at  the 
pharyngeal  end  of  the  rod  will  cause  corresponding 
variations  in  the  size  of  the  curves.  Hence  it  is  re- 
commended to  preserve  the  form  and  size  of  the  bulb 
described  on  p.  167,  and  to  keep  it  free  from  mucus. 

Even  if  the  same  spot  could  at  all  times  be  reached, 
would  it  be  reasonable  to  expect  the  curves  to  have 


32 

uniform  values  for  the  same  sound  in  different  indi- 
viduals, or  in  the  same  individual  at  different  times, 
or  even  in  the  same  individual  at  different  times  in 
a  single  sitting?  The  soft  palate  is  but  partially 
under  the  control  of  the  will,  and  this  control  varies 
in  different  persons.  The  palate,  as  other  muscular 
structures,  is  subject  to  fatigue,  or  may  act  irregu- 
larly from  prolonged  contact  with  the  metallic 
rod.  Again,  the  personal  element  that  enters  into  the 
variation  in  the  transit  of  volitional  impulses  must  be 
as  appreciable  in  the  case  of  the  soft  palate  as  any 
other  muscular  apparatus  in  the  economy. 

On  the  whole,  it  may  be  said  that  the  sources  of 
inconstancy  of  the  curves  are  not  sufficient  to  invali- 
date the  claim  of  accuracy  for  the  method. 

The  palate-myograph  may  be  of  use  in  studying 
the  mechanism  of  the  soft  palate,  in  disease  as  well 
as  in  health.  It  is  evident  that  in  pai-alysis  of  the 
palate  the  motions  would  be  absent,  and  that  by  this 
method  a  means  of  detection  of  this  condition  is 
available.  It  may  probably  prove  of  use  in  studying 
stammering,  and  in  determining  the  degree  of  de- 
generation of  the  levator-palati  muscles  in  progres- 
sive dry  aural  catarrh. 

As  the  soft  palate  ascends,  the  oral  surface  becomes 
concave.^     This  concavity  is  occupied  by  the  convex 

'  It  would  be  an  ungracious  act  to  examine  critically  the  figures  in  the 
numerous  works  upon  the  throat  and  mouth  in  which  the  palate  is  represented, 
as  seen  in  sagittal  (anterio-posterior)  section  during  the  formation  of  the 
Towels  and  consonants  ;  without  exception  they  are  based  upon  erroneous 
conceptions  of  the  movements  of  the  velum  in  speech. 


33 

dorsum  of  the  tongue  in  some  sounds  as  in  the  con- 
sonant quantities,  Ted  and  qu,  etc.,  but  may  be  free  from 
the  tongue  in  other  sounds,  as  that  of  o.  The  elevation 
of  the  palate  is  not  the  result  of  the  pushing  up  of 
the  relaxed  velum  by  the  lingual  basi-dorsum,  but  of 
the  active  elevation  by  means  of  its  own  muscles. 
The  correlations  of  the  tongue  with  the  palate  are, 
as  a  rule,  notwithstanding,  exact  enough  to  warrant 
careful  comparison  of  the  two  factors  in  the  mechan- 
ism of  speech. 

The  palate-myograph  may  be  employed  in  the 
study  of  phonetics,  together  with  the  different  forms 
of  glossographs  as  an  accessory,  if  the  premises  of 
the  preceding  paragraph  are  correct. 

On  the  action  of  palato-pharyngeal  and  azygos  mus- 
cles little  can  be  here  said.  I  have  made  a  number  of 
observations  with  a  long  curved  rod  passed  through 
the  nose,  and  have  ascertained  that  the  approximation 
of  the  two  palato-pharyngei  may  be  recorded,  but  the 
retention  of  the  rod  in  this  position  is  painful,  excites 
a  little  bleeding,  and  soon  throws  the  pharynx  into 
an  excited  state. 

The  plan  of  holding  the  rod  in  any  desired  position 
by  the  flexible  wire  and  head  band,  can  be  utilized  in 
keeping  instruments  in  position  such  as  the  snare, 
the  syringe,  etc.,  so  that  the  head-band  may  be  em- 
ployed as  an  accessory  in  the  removal  of  growths 
from  the  naso-pharynx  and  the  nose.^ 

'  I  desire  to  express  my  acknowledgments  to  Dr.  N.  A.  Randolph,  Dr.  C. 
Berens,  and  Mr.  N.  Cohen,  for  assistance  rendered  during  the  coiu'se  of  the 
investigation. 
3 


34 


The  foregoing  account  is  designed  to  indicate  the 
medical  uses  of  this  method  of  studying  palatal 
motions.  The  method  may  have  a  wider  range  of 
application  than  the  one  delineated ;  and  it  may  be 
well  to  suggest  at  this  place  that,  in  the  judgment  of 
competent  critics,  it  may  be  made  available  for  the 
comparative  study  of  language,  for  the  instruction  of 
the  deaf,  and  for  the  formation  of  a  system  of  logo- 
graphy  or  short-hand  writing. 

I  have  thought  it  best,  however,  to  confine  my  text 
to  the  limits  which  naturally  define  the  horizon  of 
medical  observation,  rather  than  delay  publication  by 
awaiting  the  results  of  laborious  efforts  needed  to  ex- 
tend these  limits  over  a  wider  and  untried  field. 


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i 

C28(23S)M100 

QP306 

A]  5 

Allen 

cop  •  2 

On  a 

new 

method 

of 

recording  the 

